SBS Viceland
SBS Viceland (stylised as SBS VICELAND) is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel owned by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). It began as SBS TWO on 1 June 2009, and was branded as SBS 2 between 2013 and 2016. On 8 April 2017, SBS Viceland began simulcasting in high definition. Its flagship news and current affairs program The Feed airs weeknights at 7:30pm. History In a statement made by SBS in early 2009 they announced plans for the channel SBS World that would replace SBS World News Channel. On 26 April 2009, Freeview's website and advertisements showed that the channel would be called SBS TWO. On 12 May 2009, SBS revealed programming details for the SBS TWO launch. This included a 5-minute feature at 6 pm called SBS TWO Launch: What is SBS TWO?, followed by the Academy Award winning short film Harvie Krumpet. On 1 June 2009, the SBS World News Channel ended broadcast and went into a loop of advertising for SBS TWO before the official launch later that day. SBS had originally planned for the channel to focus on Asia-Pacific speciality shows, international children's programming and English learning programmes. On 20 February 2013, SBS announced major changes to the programming on SBS TWO, with a relaunch as a bold, provocative channel for younger audiences aged 16–39 from 1 April 2013, known as SBS 2. In June 2016, Shane Smith, CEO of U.S.-Canadian media company Vice, announced at the Cannes Lions Festival that the company had reached deals with international broadcasters to launch localized versions of Viceland—a television brand featuring lifestyle-oriented reality and documentary-style programming aimed towards young adults. Among the partners announced was SBS. On 4 October 2016, SBS and Vice officially announced that SBS 2 would be re-launched as SBS Viceland on 15 November 2016. Michael Slonim, marketing director of Vice Australia, stated that SBS shared Vice's "storytelling sensibilities and curiosity about the world", and felt that the launch would "help catapult Vice further into the consciousness of young Australians". The channel remains operated by SBS, but will include original programmes produced for the American Viceland channel, alongside existing SBS 2 programmes such as The Feed. SBS Viceland had a primetime share of 1% on its first night, up slightly from 0.7% for SBS2 the previous week, with the highest rated program Gaycation viewed by 51,000 people. Programming General In addition to expanded international news programs during the day (including bulletins in Hindi, Korean, Greek, Macedonian, Polish and Portuguese languages), SBS Viceland screens documentary series, drama series and international films each night under themed programming blocks. In April 2013, SBS 2 relaunched targeting a younger audience, now airing various TV shows, including Bullet in the Face, Don't Tell My Mother, The Tales of Nights, Russell Howard's Good News, South Park, The Midnight Beast, Skins, Him & Her, Threesome, If You Are the One (A Chinese version of the Australian game show Taken Out/[[Taken Out'' -]]), ''Housos, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Adam Ruins Everything and Community. Sport From its formation in 2009, SBS 2 has featured all stages of the Tour de France with full broadcasting rights in conjunction with SBS One, as well as exclusive UEFA Champions League matches as of the 2009–10 season. In 2010, SBS 2 aired repeat matches from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa with full broadcasting rights in conjunction with SBS One. The channel has also broadcast regular episodes of The World Game since the programs reformatting in August 2010; regular weekly shows, in addition to various major footballing events. Other major events have included the FIFA Club World Cup and various international cup competitions. In 2013 and 2014, SBS 2 was the Freeview broadcaster of the ANZ Championship's live Sunday afternoon match. It gave netball fans across the nation the chance to keep viewing the sport on free to air TV after Network Ten dumped it stating it was "insignificant" for mainstream media and "not a premium sport", which led to no broadcast partner for the 2013 season until the very last minute which saw SBS struck a deal to broadcast the 2013 & 2014 seasons in conjunction with Fox Sports Australia. SBS also had the rights to the ANZ Championship finals & International test matches on its free-to-air television network between 2013–2014. Later in 2013, SBS 2 began broadcasting a weekly live A-League Friday-night match and A-League Finals matches. SBS 2 aired some matches from the 2014 FIFA World Cup, in conjunction with SBS, and is also expected to air games of upcoming World Cups, with the acquisition of full broadcasting rights to the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup by SBS. Availability SBS Viceland is available nationwide in standard definition digital via the SBS Television service. SBS Viceland HD A high definition simulcast of SBS Viceland, SBS Viceland HD, became available on 8 April 2017. The service is broadcast in 1080i HD in an MPEG-4 format on digital channel 31. Viewership SBS Viceland's ratings were down by 26% in the 16-34 demographic in comparison to its previous incarnation as SBS2. An SBS representative defended the service, noting that its target audience was engaging with the network through its digital and on-demand platforms. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4jPDLi4xDpc Logo and identity history The first logo for SBS 2 was inspired by the then-current logo for SBS with the "Mercator" symbol paired with the brand "SBS TWO". When SBS was renamed "SBS ONE" that same year, its new logo was based on the SBS 2 logo. After SBS 2 was rebranded on 1 April 2013, the channel received a new contemporary logo with "SBS" written next to an orange painted number 2. This logo was updated on 30 October 2015 with a bolder font for "SBS" and included the top half of the "Mercator" symbol attached to the top curve of the number 2. The logo once changed again after the launch of SBS Viceland on 15 November 2016. File:SBSTwo Logo.jpg|1 June 2009 – 1 April 2013 File:SBS 2 2015 logo.svg|1 April 2013 – 30 October 2015 File:SBS 2 logo (2015).svg|30 October 2015 – 15 November 2016 File:SBS Viceland logo 2016.png|15 November 2016 – present Identity history *1 June 2009 – 27 October 2011: "Six Billion Stories and Counting" *28 October 2011 – 1 April 2013: "Seven Billion Stories and Counting" *1 April 2013 – 15 November 2016: "BOLD. PROVOCATIVE." *15 November 2016 – present: "It's a TV Channel." References Category:Special Broadcasting Service Category:English-language television stations in Australia Category:Television channels and stations established in 2009 Category:Digital terrestrial television in Australia Category:Vice Media